Social Problems



Abstract

Social problems is a general term that applies to a variety of situations and deviant behaviors that manifest as social disorder. Usually, these problems include many forms of abnormal behavior such as crime, mental illness, prostitution, drug addiction, suicide, juvenile delinquency and other social conflicts like racism, violence, accidents at work, etc (Porta et al, 2006). Some authors believe that a social problem is defined as to be caused by fundamental social conditions or have consequences that affect entire social systems. The purpose of this paper is to research the definition, background and problems of social problems, which eventually lead to social movements (Porta et al, 2006).

Table of Contents

Introduction7

Objective Reality to Social Problems8

Identification of Social Problems8

History of Social Problems and the Evolution of their Study8

Understanding the Sociological Perspective9

How do Social Movements Begin10

How do Reform Movements Make a Difference12

Stages of Social Movements13

References16

Appendices....................................................................................................................................17Social Problems

Introduction

Social problems can be defined as conditions which some individuals or a group of individuals in a society think of as undesirable, or adverse. On the other hand, there are certain problems in a society which everyone in the society believes to be wrong, for example murder or mugging (Porta et al, 2006). However, some social problems are viewed as problems only by a few, the vast majority of perpetrators find it acceptable, like many non-smokers find smoking an unacceptable social problem or condition, while smokers do not. Examples of problems that are commonly thought of as 'social problems' are include violence, crime, environmental problems, drug abuse, rape, etc which can be found in any local, state, national or international level society (Porta et al, 2006).

Furthermore, the authors Fuller and Myers (1941), have defined social problems as conditions which a "considerable number of persons" view as deviant behavior from the social norms they value. They claim that all social problems include an objective condition and a subjective definition. Objective condition can be termed as a verifiable situation which can be monitored, and the subjective definition is more personal, as individuals perceive certain conditions as a threat to their values. They claim that the reason behind social problems is that not everyone is society has common objectives or values ( Fuller et al, 1941). However, there are some who argue that social problems are merely dependent upon time and the necessity of audience (Eitzen et al, 2009), as problems such as unemployment, racism, sexism, pollution etc are serious issues to many but not all, and everyone in a society views them differently.



Objective Reality to Social Problems

The authors Eitzen, et al, (2009) argue that certain social conditions are harmful in any and all situations, that is they are objective. Issues like poverty, sexism, racism which are leading causes for material or mental suffering for certain groups or individuals within a society can be termed as objective. Such problems prevent people in the society from evolving towards their full potential, and it is true that such suffering exists regardless of culture or religious preferences. Therefore, such conditions may be called broad ...